


Tales From the Road

by botharetrue (orphan_account)



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-17
Updated: 2012-06-17
Packaged: 2017-11-07 22:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/436237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/botharetrue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Tales From the Road” is a series of seven vignettes that follows Tenzin and his family on their trip from Republic City to the South Pole. Think of it as a travelogue for an airbender family roadtrip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tales From the Road

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this for Tumblr, with accompanying screencaps for each part. If you'd like to see that version, you can find it on my Tumblr here: http://botharetrue.tumblr.com/tagged/tlok-tales-from-the-road

**One**

They leave after a late-night council meeting so they can avoid all the air traffic that makes Oogi nervous. Pema bundles each of the children in blankets and hands them off to Tenzin, who loads them on to the air bison. Then he gently takes Pema into his arms and boosts her into the saddle. Jinora wakes up when she hears “Yip, yip” and groggily sits up against the edge of the saddle. She watches Republic City as it twinkles and fades into the distance.

 

**Two**

It takes a few days to reach the South Pole, especially when Oogi has to carry the entire family. They stop in Omashu for the first night. The children’s eyes light up when they see the huge Earth Kingdom city. Plead as though she might, Ikki is  _absolutely forbidden_  from getting anywhere near the mail chutes. Pema puts the children to bed, but it’s Jinora who tells everyone the story of the Cave of Two Lovers. When she’s done, Meelo slips out of his bed and crawls across the floor like a badgermole before falling asleep halfway under a table. Jinora notices that both of her parents have fallen asleep, and so she gently extracts Meelo from underneath the table and tucks him in for the night.

 

**Three**

“Daddy, daddy, daddy! I need to go to the bathroom.”

“I told you to go before we left Omashu, Ikki.”

“I know, but I really really really need to go to the bathroom. Can we stop? Can we,  _please_?”

“Can you hold it a little longer? The wind is working with us.”

Pema clears her throat. “Actually, dear, I could use a bathroom break too,” she says sheepishly.

Tenzin sighs and starts looking for somewhere to land.

———

When they land on Kyoshi Island, an old,  _old_  man stumbles out of the crowd. He crazily shakes his cane at them and starts to froth at the mouth. A much younger man pushes through the crowd, out of breath. He grabs the old man gently and wipes away the foam.

“C’mon, grandpa. That’s not the avatar; it’s his son.” He smiles apologetically at Tenzin and steers the old man away.

The family loses an entire afternoon on the island, between accepting an invitation to lunch with the Kyoshi Warriors and paying their respects to the Avatar’s shrine. When they finally set out for their next stop, the sun is starting to set. The light flashes off a school of elephant koi as they jump and twist in the waters below.

 

**Four**

By the time they arrive at the Southern Air Temple, even Tenzin has started to nod off. Tenzin gets lost once before finding a small suite of rooms he remembers staying in as a boy. He dusts the rooms with a few quick gusts of wind. Pema waves him away and goes to take care of the children, while Tenzin sees to Oogi. Once he is sure everyone has been looked after and settled in for the night, he starts the long climb to a tower rising high above all the others in the temple.

The room at the top of the tower is full of dirt and debris. Tenzin takes more care in clearing this room. He finds a meditative peace in the rhythmic scratch of the broom against stone. When he is finished cleaning, Tenzin lights incense and arranges a pile of fruit before a modest shrine. He bows once, deep and full of reverence. Tenzin has no blood connection with the man in the portrait, but for generations beyond measure, the airbenders of the world will owe Monk Gyatso a great spiritual debt.

 

**Five**

They start early the next day, and both Tenzin and Pema enjoy the rare luxury of silence while their children sleep. Pema tugs on Tenzin’s arm. When he turns around to look at her, she puts his hand on her belly. They smile at each other as the baby kicks and squirms inside.

“Another little trouble-maker,” Pema murmurs softly, the corners of her mouth are turned up even if her tone is resigned.

Behind them, Ikki makes the squeaking noise that means she’s awake for the day. Pema smiles at Tenzin ruefully.

“Speaking of trouble-makers…” Tenzin lets his hand linger for a moment before he turns back to guiding Oogi.

 

**Six**

“Daddy, didn’t you say we could go play in the airball court in the temple? Uncle Bumi said it was way bigger than the one at home. Why did we have to leave so early, huh? When we get to the South Pole can we do something fun to make up for it? Jinora told me that last time we went to visit Gran Gran she told her about how Grandpa took her penguin sledding when they first met. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Can we go penguin sledding when we get there? Please, Daddy?”

“Oooh, that cloud looks like a fire ferret. Do fire ferrets live here? Wouldn’t it be too cold for them? Or would they keep themselves warm with their fire? Look! That glacier looks like a polar bear dog. Didn’t you say that Korra has a polar bear dog? Do you think she’ll let us ride on it if we ask really nicely?”

“My legs are getting cramped. Can I follow Oogi in my glider? I promise I can keep up. Mommy, mommy! Meelo’s climbing out of the saddle. Aw, how come Meelo gets to ride up front with Daddy? Can I ride up front too? This is really boring. Are we there yet? How many books did you bring with you Jinora? You must have read a million of them. Eew, stop chewing on Daddy’s head, Meelo. That’s so gross. How much longer until we’re there?”

 

**Seven**

Tenzin has always known the eventuality of teaching his father’s successor. “Be kind to me,” his father had said “Be patient.” A much younger Tenzin had quickly promised and changed the subject, not wanting to talk about the inevitability of death.

But it’s time to fulfill that promise and Tenzin finds his hands tied. Republic City is in danger. He feels chaos and imbalance swirling under the thin veneer of peace every time he closes his eyes. Duty pulls at him from every direction, and he knows he has to choose one before he is torn apart. And so he decides. The Avatar will be safe in the South Pole until Republic City is stable once again.

When Tenzin sees Korra peering over his mother’s shoulder, he’s surprised both at how much she’s grown and at how young she still is. When Pema prompts him to tell her the news, his resolve almost crumbles at the look of disappointment and confusion on her face. It’s exactly the look he’s always feared bringing to his father’s face.

When they leave the next morning, Tenzin wavers for a moment. He remembers all the things his father taught him about being Avatar. Aang tried hard to shield his children from the strain of his work, but Tenzin had learned all the same. He’d learned it from waking up for breakfast to find his father gone, from the weeks of absence, and from the premature lines on his face. The world needs its Avatar to be out amongst her people and ready to address its every need.

The world needs its Avatar, but he’s not sure that she needs this kind of world. Tenzin  says the words that send Oogi into flight and doesn’t look back.


End file.
